Keith Chegwin, television broadcaster and actor probably best-known for children’s television in the 70s and 80s, was given six of the best for dunking a teacher’s hat in the school goldfish bowl at Barbara Speake Stage School, London. No details available including whether it was a male or female hat.

Listened recently to an interview with Sir Malcolm Bruce, the ex leader of the Lib Dem Party in the UK. He was educated in Edinburgh and he recalls receiving six of the belt on one occasion. At the time he said he just accepted it, but looking back he felt it was disproportionate as it was for a trivial offence. He named the teacher but not the offence.

Carol Vorderman, formerly of Countdown fame, admitted to being given the cane at school.

Hello Grammar School Boy,

Various of my fellow contributors have quite unusually beaten me to it, but may I please say a rather belated welcome to the Forum.  It is a long time since I logged in and found 10 threads awaiting my attention and as you were largely responsible for this I feel that you should by now have accrued your first ‘Like’ which I am happy to award to your above contribution.

Ms Vorderman has been mentioned here on many occasions over the years and indeed had a thread entirely devoted to her in the early days of the Forum.  It consists of fairly cryptic comments by contributors now largely departed and comes to no firm conclusions.  Alas though, the balance of probabilities seems to be that Ms Vorderman’s caning, for playing slap-hand in class when very young, was on the hand.  Further, it seems to have been administered in a foreign country, to whit Wales!

Some of our contributors deprecate and dismiss all school corporal punishment except that administered on the bottom in England.  This is a great pity.  Myself, I find former and current practices in far away countries such as The Republic of Korea (South Korea), Thailand and Vietnam of considerable interest.    Exotic modes such as caning on the fronts and backs of thighs, backs of calves and soles of feet abound, and bottoms are caned in a number of postures including standing and prone, besides bent over.  However these incidences attract very little interest in the Forum, apparently on a ‘not invented here’ basis.  

One other name I remember was Faith Brown, a comedian/impressionist on TV. She stated she was mimicking a teacher and got caught. She said she got six strokes on her bottom. I recall her as a lovely blond haired lady at the time she admitted the caning.

Hello Grammar School Boy,

According to this Wikipedia page Faith Brown attended St Francis De Sales School in Walton.  As it so happens I’m currently investigating the region of the North West, in particular Merseyside.  Should I encounter any contemporary accounts of a similar punishments at this school I’ll let you know.

Hello I, Researcher

Thank you for that. I think her real name was Eunice Irene Carroll so should be easy to find hopefully.

James Callaghan, Prime Minister 1975-79, was caned at Portsmouth Northern Secondary School for such misdemeanours as running a sweep on the weekend’s football scores, blowing up the geography teacher’s red ink bottle and tying a fish underneath the master’s table – although in this instance he claimed he had been framed. Modus operandi and number of strokes unknown.

Which other prime ministers received corporal punishment at school? Winston Churchill birched at St George’s School, Ascot, John Major caned at Rutlish School (1 stroke together with 23 classmates), Tony Blair at Fettes College. Any more?

Would loved to have seen Maggie Thatcher, Teresa May and Lizz Truss lined up for the cane.

Dolly Parton, singer, got the paddle at her school.